The invention relates to the field of retail stores and in particular to an item locator sign or indexing system comprised of two parts and having a first part that is general to the store and a second part that is aisle specific and contains a listing of the items in that aisle along with a more particularized method of identifying item locations within that aisle.
The device is intended to be used in retail establishments such as grovery stores, supermarket, chain stores, super stores, and the like although any store having multiple aisles and different categories of products may find use for the invention.
There are no known two part systems for store item location systems that are similar to the applicant""s system.
The invention is a two part indexing and signage system for the location of store items in particular those items found in super markets and typically identified by the their location with the aisles of the supermarket or grocery store.
The first part of the device includes a general indexing system for identifying which aisle different store items are to be found in. The first part of the device is attached to the back panel of the child seat on a shopping cart where it can be seen easily by the shopper pushig the cart.
The second part of the device is in connection with the shelving typically containing the products in the aisle of the store. The second part contains particular indexing information that pertains to the location within the store aisle for the various items found in that aisle of the store. The second part contains an alpha numerical key having three characters associated with each item in order to identify particualr product positions within that aisle in terms of: left or right (side of the aisle); distance (in terms of feet) from the end of the aisle to the product in question and a single digit character indicating what shelf that item is on.
It is an object of the invention to save space on the generalized store item locator of part one which can include briefer more general descriptions of the items in the store while reserving the more particular descriptions of the locations to aisle specific indexing signs.
It is another objective to save the time and trouble of having to remove entire stores full of the second part signs and instead only have to change the second part signs when the location of items within that particular aisle are changed.
Another object is to provide a method for retailers to get added messages in front of consumers by providing a means of indexing signs that will encourage shoppers to look up various items on aisle specific signs where the retailer can place messages in addition to mere indexing such as those of an advertising nature that will allow the retailer to place additional information to the consumer while he or she is shopping in the store or supermarket.
Another object is to provide a method for saving time spent on shopping for particular items within a supermarket in order togive more time to the consumer when he/she may find other products to buy and hence purchase more products when they visit the store.
Another object is to provide an indexing system for a grocery store or supermarket in order to increase the number of retail messages and product locations within the store without adding to the expense of running the store and/or adding to the labor burden in maintaining such a system.
Another object is to provide a two part store item lcoation system that greatly increase the amount of such item location information over a single part signage system.
Other advantages will occur to those skilled in the art once the invention is shown and described.